CODA STORIES
Runtime: 89 minutes
These five unique stories all examine the profound and sometimes complicated dynamics between parents and children that have the added challenge of having to shift between the Deaf and hearing worlds.
Program lineup:
RAISING CODAS
MY FATHER, A MAN OF ENGAGEMENT
I AM CODA
SHHH!
TO MY FATHER
ID: A poster for “Raising CODAs” with the title in white superimposed over two images stacked vertically. Both images show a child, both sitting in front of a piece of furniture with photo frames behind them. Subtitle in white under title: “A short film by MJ Kiego.”
RAISING CODAS
Short | United States | 13 Minutes | American Sign Language
Director: MJ Kiego
In this engaging documentary, filmmaker MJ Kiego interviews Deaf parents of CODA children, who describe their feelings towards dealing with the barriers between the Deaf and hearing worlds while trying to parent. This unique and often underrepresented perspective on the CODA experience is both enlightening and refreshing.
ID: A poster for “My Father, a Man of Engagement “, showing an image of a older man interacting with a woman, both standing on a street corner with a crosswalk and buildings behind them. White text in top left corner: “L'oeil et la main”.
MY FATHER, A MAN OF ENGAGEMENT
Short | France| 27 Minutes | French Sign Language
Director: Audrey Sangla
As an important pioneer in the movement for Deaf rights in France, Jacques Sangla was responsible for ushering in a new era of access for the French Deaf community by advocating for sign language, equal access and television programming for the Deaf. His filmmaker daughter Audrey examines his legacy in this engaging portrait of one of France’s most important figures in modern Deaf history.
ID: A poster for “I am CODA: a bridge between two worlds” with the title in center, superimposed over a stylized photo of a person with purple and black tinted overlay. Title in white across the top: “A documentary film by Ivan Crnac”. Additional film details and logos across the bottom.
I AM CODA
Short | Czech Republic | 24 Minutes | Czech Sign Language
Director: Ivan Crnac
The large Sedláček and Půlpán family in the Czech Republic consists of two amicably divorced Deaf parents and their hearing children, known as CODAs. Focusing on their 16-year-old daughter Jolanka, this insightful documentary presents a fresh perspective from a modern family in central Europe.
ID: A poster for “Shhh!” with the title in white across an image of a child standing at a dinner table with two adults standing behind her. White subtitles above the title: “Aiganysh Sarzanova; Amanda Karminkhunova, Kanat Alymbekov. Additional film details in white text across the bottom.
SHHH!
Short | Kyrgyzstan | 3 Minutes | British Sign Language, Russian
Director: Shamir Raiapov
5-year-old CODA Amanda is a precocious child who is celebrating her birthday with a family dinner. When her Deaf parents start arguing, however, she has had enough. Short and sweet, this cheeky short packs a good punchline.
ID: A poster for “To My Father” with the title in dark text on a book-page background, with a black and white snapshot of a grinning man above. Text across the top: “Academy Award Winner Troy Kotsur”. Additional film details and film award logos across the bottom.
TO MY FATHER
Short | United States | 23 Minutes | American Sign Language
Director: Sean Schiavolin
As the first Deaf man to win the Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for his work in CODA, Troy Kotsur’s road to success was earned through hard work and dedication to achieving his dream, despite many obstacles. Born into a hearing family, Troy had a deep bond with his father Leonard, who was also the local Chief of Police.
Leonard became Troy’s biggest supporter and learned ASL so he could communicate better with his son. When a devastating accident occurred while Troy was in high school, everything changed. In this moving documentary from filmmaker Sean Schiavolin, Troy pays tribute to the man that made a huge difference in his life and taught him that anything is possible.